Hebrews 10:35,36 (NKJV) Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
Paul tells us in Hebrews 10:35, “do not cast away your confidence”. Webster defines confidence as, the feeling of being certain that something will happen or something is true.
Confidence can be found in many forms, degrees and applications. One can have confidence in the counsel of a close friend. A bowhunter can be confident in his preparation and ability to execute a precision shot. A pastor can be confident in his understanding of God’s word and his ability to convey it. Confidence is important. It is born from knowledge and experience. It guides our thoughts, that lead to action. It can aid in creating and/or reinforcing our identities. When confidence in oneself, someone else or something is shaken, the effects can have devastating results.
The confidence Paul speaks of in this passage is the belief and truth of the Risen Christ. This confidence is the belief in the truth of His sacrifice for us and the truth of His promise of eternal reward for our faithfulness. Despite what we see, hear, experience or think, it is imperative, no matter what, that we resolve in our hearts and minds, our very souls, to hold tightly this confidence. “The just shall live by faith”. This is accomplished by our confidence in the word of God and the promise of Jesus Christ. Truth.
The ability to execute our resolve to hold firmly to this confidence, will require endurance. Webster defines endurance as, the ability to withstand hardship or adversity; the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity. Paul is telling us what is required will be difficult and will need to be sustained over a great period of time.
Think about your life and accomplishments to date. The accomplishments I am most proud of, required effort, extreme effort. How many of you have things in your life that you came by easily and hold a significant space on the timeline of your life? The things that bring us the most satisfaction and sense of accomplishment were hard won. After all, if they weren’t, they would be common, rather insignificant and certainly not noteworthy.
Our confidence in Christ is most assuredly noteworthy, anything but common. In truth, this confidence is the most spectacular, monumental, exquisite thing beyond imagination or comprehension. And here’s the astounding part, Jesus offers His confidence to us freely. It will require from us some hard traveling, some tough choices, and perhaps the passage through some refining fire. So, endurance is essential, however, endurance is provided for by that very confidence!
Hebrews 10:39 (NKJV) But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
In full pursuit of the greatest Trophy,
Scott Pace
